Extremism – it’s only for the select few and definitely not for all!
We are living in a very interesting time at present and one that seems increasingly exacerbated by image, narcissism and the compulsion to let anyone and everyone know about what we are eating, what we are doing for exercise and what we are wearing to exercise. The issue with this is that many are doing things to seek to satisfy others and seek recognition and satisfaction from anyone else but the person that matters the most – ourselves.
Ultimately what should drive us is our own happiness and not to be judged or viewed by others and our exercise, food, clothing choices and overall how we look.
Choosing any level of extremism in exercise (such as cross-fit or boot camps), diet (such as Paleo or individual food items such as Kale, chia seeds, activated almonds) or wearing the latest colorful branded runners, leopard skin crop tops with matching leggings and feeling the need to take selfies or pictures of our Paleo and gluten-free delicacies is unnecessary on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
We all need to take a step back and find out who we are, what we are searching for, what our actual goals are and then find and explore the best ways to get there but at the same time trying to make ourselves happy and not worry about what others think of us.
What has prompted me to write a blog on this has been the ever-unpopular chef Pete Evans and his extreme approach to all things health and wellness without any actual scientific substance? I am also a keen viewer of fitness and Personal Training trends and see so many Facebook posts, Instagram pictures and tweets of people desperate for attention and others to like and comment on how good, how cool and how amazing they are and all the while they are supposedly actively following a paleo diet, so focused on their PB’s (Personal Bests) and eating their kale and amazing almond milk smoothies yet go out each and every weekend drinking themselves silly and getting drunk to excess and then guess what food they openly crave? You guessed it extreme greasy and junk food! No desire to drink Fiji or coconut water, no kale chips or zucchini pasta but chips, burgers, pizza’s, kebabs, Gatorade, Coke and the rest!!!
Here-in-lies the issue. Any extreme diet or exercise regime no matter what it is will not be sustainable and therefore why bother? In saying that it may be the catalyst to get you changing poor behaviour to start with but remember why it is that you are starting and keep a close check on that with regards to whom it is you started your level of extremism for as you embark on your transformation and always get back to that or you will at some point revert back to past behaviours.
We all need to step back and educate ourselves about sustainable food choices, seek specific guidance from a dietitian and ideally seek the services of a Personal Trainer (preferably Tertiary/University degree trained and/or with many years of experience) that can sit down with you and design an exercise program suitable to you and your needs. This may mean you only see a Personal Trainer for 1-4 sessions but they will work through with you (if they are good and highly regarded – check testimonials and references) something that is going to drive you towards your exact goals and make you happy in the long-term – not anyone else.
We all need to remember that is us that look in the mirror every day. We are the ones that have to get up for work and lead our lives and we are the ones that ultimately matter the most. If we can feel better about ourselves and do so from within, others will notice and comment along the journey and you will not have to force it down other people’s throats with pictures and status updates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
For a more information or if you have any questions feel free to contact me –
Justin Moran
0411 798 934
Please feel free to use our 12 point “How to choose a personal trainer” checklist in your selection process of a Personal Trainer.
